Beds of the type used in health care settings include a frame, a deck, and a mattress resting on the deck. The deck is typically comprised of two or more deck sections. At least some of the deck sections are orientation adjustable so that the occupant or a caregiver can change the overall profile of the deck and mattress. Such beds also include a footboard extending laterally across the foot end of the bed and extending vertically to an elevation higher than the elevation of the top of the mattress. Some beds include provisions to alter the longitudinal position of the footboard to accommodate mattresses of differing lengths and occupants of different heights.
Forces exerted on the bed occupant during profile adjustment of the bed can push the occupant longitudinally toward the foot of the bed, subjecting the occupant's skin to undesirable shear stress and compromising the operation of any bed features that are sensitive to the occupant's longitudinal position. It is, therefore, desirable to design the bed with features that prevent or minimize such longitudinal migration or that allow for easy and convenient mitigation of sheer stress and suboptimal occupant position that has occurred.
Under some circumstances the occupant's feet may contact the footboard. Although this can result from occupant migration which is not mitigated as described above, it can also be intentional. For example the occupant and/or footboard may be intentionally positioned so that the occupant's feet rest against the footboard. This may help prevent foot drop, however the interface pressure between the occupant's feet and the footboard, if sustained for a long time, increases the risk of pressure ulcers developing on the occupant's feet.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a bed with features that help prevent occupant migration, are useful for repositioning the occupant if migration does occur, and that reduce the likelihood that pressure ulcers will develop on the occupant's feet if they are in intentional or unintentional contact with the footboard for an extended time.